pickles



G. M. PIGKLES.

THILL COUPLING.

' (No Model.) i

No. 341,164. Patented May 4; 1886.

E I i' T N. PEIjEns. Pholo-Lxlhognpher. Wmhinghm I10.

UNITED STATES PATENT O FICE,

GEORGE M. PICKLES, OF SANDHURST, VICTORIA, ASSIGNOR TO B. \V. FORBES & SON, OF NFAV YORK, N. Y.

THILL=COUPLING.

ELZPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 341,164, dated May 4, 1886.

Application filed November 30, 1885. Serial No. IBLQJB.

(No model.) Patented in Victoria NovemberiQ, 1884, No.3,890; in Tasmania April 30, 1885, No. 355; in New South Wales Julie 16, 1885, No. (3,020, and in South Australia May 8, 1855, No. 556.

T0 aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE MA'CKAY PICKLES, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Sandhurst, in the British Colony of Victoria, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shaftand Pole Couplings for Vehicles, (for which I have ob tained Letters Patent of the Colony of Victoria, No. 3,890, dated November 19, 1884, Letters Patent of the Colony of Tasmania, No. 355, dated April 30, 1885, Letters Patent of the Colony of New South Vales, No. 6,020, dated June 16, 1885, and Letters Patent of the Colony of South Australia, No. 556, dated May 8, 1885,) of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to that class of shaft and pole couplings i n which the two members of the coupling are fitted together with spherical surfaces; and the improvement consists in the novel combination of such members, and a pin which secures them together, whereby lobtain a coupling which is very strong and durable, and the wear of which is easily compen sated for.

Figure I in the drawings is a side view of my improved coupling. Fig. II is atop view of the same. Fig. Ill is a transverse section of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

A B C C designate one member of the coupling, consisting of an ordinary axle-clip, A, having on the front thereof a lug, B, on opposite sides of which are spherical projections C C, which form one member of the ball-joint. The lug B is bored transversely concentrically with its spherical projections C C to receive the coupling-pin D. p

E F F designate the shaft or pole iron constituting the other member of the coupling, which is in its end portion divided or bifurcated in a vertical plane to form arms or jaws F F, which receive between them the lug B of the other member, and are bored transversely for the reception of the coupling-pin D.

I provide in the inner faces of the arms or jaws F spherical recesses or countersinks concentric with their transverse bore for the reception of the spherical projections C C on the lugs B of the axle-clip, the said projections and recesses or counter-sinks forming the balljoint.

The holes bored in the two members of the coupling for the reception of the coupling-pin D are larger than the pin, which is thus relieved of all strain, and the width of the space between the j awe of the coupling-iron is greater than the thickness of the portion of the lug B- surrounding the spherical projections C, in order that the pole or shaft may be capable of a certain degree of lateral vibration.

The coupling-pin D is screw-threaded and furnished with a nut, G, on the face of which are horns a a, between which a split lockingpin, 0, is inserted through a hole in the coupling-pin for locking the not.

The joint-pin D, passing through the coupling in such position that its axis is as nearly as practicable coincident with the axis of the spherical surfaces, tends, when it is screwed up, to distribute the pressure and wear as nearly as practicable uniformly on all parts of the said surfaces, and while the draft in the coupling comes generally entirely on the spherical surfaces, there is no danger of theirspreading apart in case of excessive strain in a lateral direction.

The special construction of the two members of my coupling,as shown in my drawings and described in the specification, is very important. It isimportant to have a single solid lug or ear, B, upon the clip A, and to divide the pole or shaft iron E in a vertical plane so as to form the arms or jaws F for embracing the lug or earB. The coupling-pin D should be as near as possible to the axle, and if the clip is forged so as to form the two jaws which receive between them the end of the pole or shaft iron, it is very difficult to form on the inner faces of the jaws of the clip the spherical projections or recesses, because those jaws, if formed on the clip, are very short, and the formation of spherical projections or recesses on their inner faces is a difficult .ma-tter. By dividing the shaft or pole iron E in avertical plane or bifurcating it in its end portion so as to form yielding jaws or arms F having considerable length, I am enabled to form the spherical projections or recesses very easily upon the inner faces of these jaws or arms, because their length provides for bending them outward to afford convenience for swaging their spherical projections or recesses, and they may then be bent inward into positions adjacent to each other. It is also desirable to have the recesses which receive the spherical projections made of truly spherical or concave form, so as to support the spherical projections both vertically as well aslaterally. \Vhen the two jaws are formed upon a clip and receive the pole or shaft iron between them, as shown in patent to l\Iartin,No. 137,143, granted March 25, 1873, it would be very diflicult to form spherical projections or recesses on the inner faces of the clip'jaws, and for that reason the inner faces of the clip -jaws shown in Martins patent are not of spherical contour, but are simply concaved in a horizontal plane and are straight vertically; hence the clipjaws do not support the shaft or pole in a vertical direction. It is also very desirable to form the spherical recesses in that part or member of the coupling which has the two jaws or arms, because the portion having such recess or recesses is necessarily quite thin, and if the recesses are formed on opposite sides of a single lug or car which enters between the two arms or jaws then said lug or ear becomes very thin. 1f the recesses are formed one on each of two itllllS'Ol jaws, two portions are provided on one member, which, although each of them is thin, together afi'ord adequate support for the couplingpin or bolt. It is also advanta eous to make the )ole or shaft iron in one integral piece which is bifurcated or forked vertically, as distinguished from a pole or shaft iron comprising two pieces which are bolted to opposite sides of the pole or shaft, and which form the jaws or arms of one member, as is shown in patent to Boyce, No. 20,033, dated April 27, 1858. The back end of a pole or shaft is ordinarily quite thin, and it is customary to secure the iron to it by bolts passing through both in a vertical plane. If the two arms or jaws are formed ofsepara te pieces bolted to opposite sides ofthe pole or shaft, it becomes necessary to thicken the pole or shaft in a vertical plane in order to afford a proper hold in the wood for the bolts.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The pole or shaft-coupling herein described, consisting of a clip, A, provided with alug or car, B, having on opposite vertical faces the spherical projections O, the pole or shalt iron E, consisting of a single piece having its end divided 'or bifurcated in a vertical plane to form the lateral jaws or arms F, which have on their inner faces the spherical recesses to fit the projections G, and the coupling-pin or bolt I) inserted through the lug or car 13, and thejaws or arms F concentric with the projections O, and spherical recesses, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

GEORGE M. PICKLES. \Vitnesses:

ALFRED FORD,

Notary Public, Melbourne. RioH. SMITH,

76 (lfiaozcery Lane, fllclbourne. 

